Latch



March 5, 1929; 5, CLAYTOR 1,704,554

I r I LATCH Filed Sept. .8, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 a 014 5 Gill T08,

March 5, 1929. I s. o. CLAYTOR LATCH Filed Sept. 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet March 5, 1929. s. o. CLAYTOR 1,704,554

' LATCH Filed Sept. 8, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 'Y 4 v rl/ Ewen/for.- 6 0W6 6240 7042 @w en March 5, 1929. r s. o. CLAYTOR 7 1,704,554

LATCH Filed Sept. 8, 1927 I 4 sheets-sheet 4 v fiwenfir: 6. W Y 72 68 DW Fatented Mar. 5, 1929. i

* UNITED/STATES SPRY OWEN CLAYTOR, OF NEWARK, OHIO.

LATCH.

Application filed September 8, 1927. SeriaI No. 218,343.

The present invention relates to latches for automobiles, railway coaches, and other vehicles, of the type comprising a bolt, a member operative to withdraw the bolt, and

5 means .actuated by said member'to exert a thrust between the door and its jamb to force the door open.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved device especially adapted for use in sedans and other closed cars, which shall be economical to manufacture and eflicient in use. V I

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will be in part obvious from 1 the accompanying drawings and in part will.

be more fully set forth in the following description,and the invention also consists in certain novel features ofconstruction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the drawings, r Fig. 1 is an elevation of a device embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the same as viewed from the outer side;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same; Fig. 4' is a detail view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 1, showing the latch in'its normal closed position; V v

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the bolt withdrawn; 7

Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the thrust member in operation; 7 I

Fig. 7 is av detail of the bolt keeper; Fig. 8 is a rear elevation of a modification of the invention; I

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 8;

I Fig. 10 is. a sectional view taken on line 10 -1O of Fig. 8;

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 8, but with the inner plate removed; F Fig. 12 is a section on the line 1212 of ig. 11; I

Fig. 13 shows the device of Fig. 11 with the bolt withdrawn and the thrust member in operative position;

Fig. 14 is a view on the line 14-14 of Fig. 13; and v Fig. 15 is a detail of the upper plate of the latch. 1

, The device shown in Figs. 1 to 7 comprises outer and inner plates 16 and 17 secured to 7 each other by screws 18 and held in fixed spaced relation by means of separators 19. Inner plate 17 has an car 20 formed thereon and preferably ofiset from the remainder of" the plate, and a rod 21 is rotatably mounted in the ear 20 and in plate 16. An operating lever 22 is secured to rod 21, and a connecting rod 23 is loosely mounted in lever 22 .at one end, and at its other end is loosely mounted in a block 24 extending perpendicularly to the connecting rod. A second block 25 is pivoted at 26 to block 24 andis secured in fixed relation to a turning rod 27 extending downwardly therefrom. The lower end of rod 27 is rotatably mounted in arotatable stud 28, so that the rod may rotate about it own axis and may also pivot about the axis ofv stud 28.,

A bolt 30is mounted on rod 27 in such a manner that the rod may rotate with respect to the bolt, and a thrust member 31 is non-rotativelyfixed to rod 27. A coiled spring 32 has its ends secured to bolt 30 and member 31 respectively, and is arranged t0 yieldingly holdmember 31 in its "normal position, as shown in Fig. 1.

A guide rod 33 is pivoted at one end to bolt 30 and has its other end slidably mounted in a rotatable stud 34. A spring 35 is compressed between the bolt 30 and stud34 to yieldingly press the bolt into its'o'perative position, the bolt being guided in its movements by. pins 36 fixed thereto and sliding in slots 37 in the outer and innerplates.v

Compression springs 38 and .39 are mounted on rod 23 to yieldingly hold members 22 and 24 against the heads40 of rod 23.

Stud 28 extends outwardly beyond plate .16 and has a cross member 41 fixed to its outer end, whereby rod 28 may be rotated to move rod 27 and bolt 30 to the position shown in Figs. 5 and 6. In case the device is applied to the door of an automobile, it

will be evident that rod 41 will normally be I used in opening'the door from the outside,

and lever 22 will normally be used for opening the door from the inside of the'car.

A look 42 is secured to plate 16 and is so arranged that its bolt 43, in the locked posi-,

tion' shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, lies in the path of movement of pin 36 to thereby prevent withdrawal ofth'e bolt 30. j

A'keeper 44 is mounted in the door jamb in operative relation to bolt 30, and has a flange 45 extending perpendicularly thereto and adapted to cooperate with thrust member 31 in forcingthe door open.

The operation isas follows: Rotation of bar 41 simply moves bolt 30 clear of its keeper'in the'manner of an ordinary auto mobile door latch. When lever 22 is moved to the right, as viewed in Fig. 1, bolt 30 is moved clear of keeper 44 by reason of the upper end of rod 27 being moved to the blocks 24 and 25. During this movement, rod 27 tends to rotate in the-counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 3, but this tendency is resisted by member '31 pressing 1 against flange 45 (see Fig. 5), the door heingprevented from opening by reason of the fact that bolt 30 is'still engaged by the keepl/Vhen the bolt clears the keeper, spring 35 [is compressed to such an extent as to strongly resist further compress1on, and further movement of lever 22 causes member .81 to pressstrongly against flange} 45, -with the result that the door is forced open, member 31 moving to the position shown in Fig. 6, and blocks 24 and moving to the position shown'in dotted lines in Fig. 3. Upon releasing of lever 22 or bar 41, as the case may- "be, spring 35 restores the elements of the "latch to their original position. a

" and jamb 49 of an automobile.

In the modification shown inFigs. 8 to 15, the device is shown applied to the door 48 The construction and arrangement of plates 50 and 51, turning rod 52, stud 53, bolt 54, thrust member 55, spring 56, guiderod 57, rotatable stud 58, spring 60, pins 61, slot 62,-and crossbar 65 are substantially the same as in the modification previously described. A

keeper 63is provided, and a separate mem ber 64 extends perpendicularly thereto to cooperate with thrust member 55 in open- 7 ing thedoor. A look 66 is provided to prener as described 1 to 7.

ventwithdrawal ofbolt 54 in the'same manin connection with Figs.

The latch is provided with a cover plate 67 having'a slot 68 which merges with a wider'slot 70. The turning rod 52 is provided at its upper extremity with a handle 71 whereby rod 52 may be either rotated on its own axis or pivoted about the axis of stud 53. Rod 52 is provided witha flattened portion 72 which fits within the narrow slot 68' with a sufliciently close-fit to prevent rotation .ofthe flattened portion within the slot, the larger cross sectional dimension of portion 72 being such that it may rotate in the larger slot 70. The effect of this ar-' rangement is that when rod 52 is in its normal position shown in Fig. 11, it cannot be rotated,.but'can only be moved to the right. When rod 52 is'moved to the right sufficiently-to allow portion 72 to clear slot 68, the

. bolt 54 is clear of its keeper, and if the rod is theii rotated, member 55 is caused to exert a thrust against member 64 to force the door open, as shown in Figs. 13 and 14. R0-

tationof stud 53 by means of cross bar 65.

withdraws the bolt 54 in the same manner as described in connection with Figs. 1 to 7.

I claim: I

1. In adoor latch, a lever mounted for rotation about its own axis and about a right through the medium 01" rod 23 and.

second axis perpendicular to its own axis, a latch bolt carried by said lever, and a thrust member adapted to. be moved by said lever into engagement with the jamb of the door.

2. In a door latch, a lever mounted for rotation about two substantially perpendicular axes, a latch bolt mounted on said lever,

and a thrust member fixed to said lever and adapted to be moved by said lever to exert a thrust between the door and its jamb.

3. In a door latch, a lever mounted for rotation about twosubstan'tially perpendicular axes, a latch bolt through which said lever is journaled, and a thrust member fixed to said lever and adapted to be moved by said lever to exert a thrust between the door and its jamb.

4. Ina door latch, a lever mounted for rotation about a longitudinal and a transverse axis, a latch boltconneoted tosaid lever to be actuated by movement of the lever about said'transverse axis, and a thrust member connected to said lever and adapted to be actuated by rotation ofthe lever about said longitudinalaxis. V I

5. In a door latch, a lever mounted 'for rotation about a longitudinal and a trans verse axis, a latch bolt mounted on said lever to be actuated thereby, and toggle means connected to said lever and adapted to rotate the same about both of said axes.

6. In a door latch, a lever mounted for adapted to be actuated by movementofthe' lever about its longitudinal axis, toggle means connected to said lever and adapted to rotate the same about both of saidaxes, and independent means for rotating-said lever about said transverse axis.

8. In a door latch, a lever 'mounted for rotation about a longitudinal and a transverse axis, a thrust member fixed to said lever to be actuated by rotation thereof about said longitudinal axis, and means for rotating said lever about said axes, comprising a transverse member fixed to said lever, a second member pivoted to said transverse member, and a connecting rod fixed to said second member and extending perpendicular" to said lever.

9. In a door latch, a lever mounted for rotation about a longitudinal and a transverse axis, a thrust member fixed to said lever and adapted to exert a thrust between the door and its jamb, a latch bolt mounted on said lever to be moved into and out of operative position thereby, said lever being provided with a flattened portion, and a plate having a slot engaging said flattened portion to limit rotation of said lever.

10. In a door latch, a lever mounted for rotation about a longitudinal and a transverse axis, a thrust member fixed to said lever being provided with a flattened por tion, and a stationary member having a slot engaging said flattened portion to limit rotation of said lever,'a portion ofsaid slot being widened to permit rotation of said flattened portion therein.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my signature.

SPRY OWEN CLAYTOR. 

